This was Abbado's first recording with the company of La Scala after he had taken over as Music Director, and both the choice of choruses and the performances could hardly be bettered. It may be a snag that the extra definition of CD brings out more clearly the shortcomings of the analogue recording, notably the distant placing of the chorus. So choral pianissimos are rather dim, while fortissimos leap forward with fierceness. Words are disappointingly unclear at all levels. The fairly reverberant acoustic yet makes the overall sound pleasantly atmospheric.'